Raigad: 103 Locations At Risk Of Landslide, Govt Forms Action Teams For Rescue

Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil on August 2, said that over 103 villages in Raigad are at risk of landslide. He stated this fact in the state’s Legislative Council.

Out of these 103 villages, nine fall under the extremely prone to landslide category, 11 are moderately prone to landslide, and 83 are less prone to landslide. This data was concluded from a survey conducted by senior geoscientists and groundwater survey officials in the district.

According to Anil Patil, temporary relocation facilities like schools and community centers, which are prone to flooding, have been built in case of emergency. "Alternative arrangements have been made at the venue," Patil stated.

Further, he said, “24X7 taluka control rooms are activated for an immediate response to any disaster emerging situation in the district. Action teams have been formed in each village facing any untoward incident. Talathis, gram sevaks, police-patils, gramvikas adhikaris, local NGOs working in those areas, are included in the action team.”

He told the Legislative Council that a budget of INR 1,032 crore had been set aside to implement the Konkan Disaster Mitigation Project, which calls for the state government to implement a number of emergency management measures in villages in Raigad district that are vulnerable to flooding.

Nearly 27 people lost their lives a few weeks back in the Irshalgad floods. Prasad Lad, a leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a member of the legislative council, questioned the state government during the ongoing monsoon session of the Maharashtra legislature about other villages in the Raigad district that are at risk of flooding and landslides and what steps the administration has taken to ensure the safety and security of the locals and their properties in such a situation. Anil Patil, the minister for relief and rehabilitation, provided the information above in a written response.

In the Irshalgad tragedy, the rescue and relief operation was put on hold after four days due to severe weather and a lack of infrastructure that prevented the delivery of heavy machinery to the site. Teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and local rescue organizations were able to recover 27 bodies from the destruction caused, but could not trace 57 missing people.

In a similar incident, 84 people died in a landslide two years ago in the same district close to Mahad town. The access road was in poor condition due to constant rain, and the authorities there also encountered difficulties getting help to the site in a timely manner.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a lot of rainfall in several Indian states, which has led to flooding and landslides. More rain is expected in some areas of Maharashtra state, including Raigad district, according to India's weather service.

There were 228 residents living in 43 homes in the settlement, according to government statistics. A total of 144 individuals have either been saved or were not in Irshalwadi at the time of the calamity.